Favorite Things….

Hola Makeup Mavens!   It’s been sometime since I’ve shared anything on this blog, and I have missed you guys.   I don’t know how regular bloggers who have families, jobs, kids, and a life maintain their blogs… it’s a lot of work.   

Any who, with summer approaching and my little one leaving for the summer I am hoping that I can post more entries and maybe even submit a few tutorials…  But today it’s about my current favorite things…

Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up-Remover from the Body Shop:

I lucked up on this eye makeup remover while I was traveling, I forgot to bring my makeup remover and I was in the airport and a woman from The Body Shop approached me with a 50% off coupon, and that was all I needed to enter the store.   Truth be told I could have used Vaseline to remove my eye makeup but I was immediately drawn to this product because it was oil free….  This stuff is fantastic!  It doesn’t sting, a little goes a very long way, and it removes my eye makeup in one brisk swipe.   It’s most definitely worth the price of purchase, so check it out.

This is what The Body Shop has to say about Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover:

Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover

What it is:
A gentle cleanser that effectively removes eye makeup.

What it is formulated to do:
Gently cleanse and dissolve eye makeup with this bestselling lotion. Its water-like consistency does not leave behind an oily residue, yet it soothes and conditions the skin around the delicate eye area, as well as the eyelashes.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan

What else you need to know:

According to The Body Shop, ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks used chamomile thousands of years ago and it was often regarded by the Anglo-Saxons as a sacred herb. Current research confirms chamomile's value as a mild, calming herb. 

E.L.F. is a very hit or miss line for me… there are a few things that I adore and there are several things that I can do without!  Lol  E.L.F. is a true testament to “getting what you pay for”  and “quality over quantity”  I won’t spend a great deal of time bashing E.L.F.  So let’s get into the few things that I adore…  

E.L.F. Daily Brush Cleaner:

I ADORE this cleaner… Let me say that again…  I ADORE THIS PRODUCT!  It’s perfect for cleaning your brushes between uses.  It’s affordable and at $3.00 a bottle I tend to buy 2 at a time.  Now let me be clear this is a great product for daily cleaning, however it is not meant to be used as a deep cleaner…  if you purchase this product you will still need to deep clean you brushes on a weekly basis.   NOTE:  E.L.F. products are available online and at most Target stores.

Here’s how E.L.F. pimps this fabulous product:

Daily Brush Cleaner

An anti-bacterial daily brush cleanser for quick cleaning in-between makeup applications. Disinfects brushes to provide a fresh and clean application every time. Helps to keep your brushes lasting longer for extended use.

Directions

An anti-bacterial daily brush cleanser for quick cleaning in-between makeup applications. Disinfects brushes to provide a fresh and clean application every time. Helps to keep your brushes lasting longer for extended use.

 Studio Line Eyeshadow “C” Brush

This is my go to brush for all things “SMOKEY EYE”…  it’s a great brush for beginners who are attempting to create a great Smokey eye…  now I don’t use it when I’m using multiple colors to create a Smokey eye, but if I’m going for a traditional Smokey with no bells and whistles I grab this brush…  Now, there is a downside to this beauty…  it’s synthetic, and I prefer natural bristle brushes, with that being said if you are striving to create a better Smokey eye this is the brush for you, and trust me for $3.00 you can’t go wrong with this brush.

Here are the details from E.L.F.:

e.l.f. Studio Eyeshadow "C" Brush

This new anti-bacterial, synthetic haired Taklon brush is softer and more absorbent and can be used with wet or dry products. Be a professional makeup artist and create a flawless look with this e.l.f. studio brush!

·         Creates the perfect Smokey eye

·         The medium size brush gives more control for more specific blending needs

·         Use with any powder eyeshadow product for color blending

·         Vegan Friendly

Dr. Bonners Peppermint Liquid Soap

This soap can be used for a million different things…   I use it for my son to bath in, and I recently started to use it to clean my brushes…   this soap is excellent for your brushes, because the soap has an oil base it not only cleans the brushes but it also conditions the brushes making them very soft.  Plus, it saves me a fortune in Olive Oil!  So if you clean your brushes with a liquid soap and olive oil this is a great substitute and it’s CHEAP.  I purchase my soap at my local co-op however as with most things you can purchase it online too.

Here’s a little more info about this multipurpose treasure:

Peppermint Liquid Soap

DESCRIPTION:

Our most popular fragrance. The peppermint essential oil tingles the body and clears the mind. Because therapeutically peppermint oil is a mild stimulant it increases vitality and clarity. All oils and essential oils are certified organic to the National Organic Standards Program. Packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

INGREDIENTS:

 
Water, Organic Coconut Oil*, Potassium Hydroxide**, Organic Olive Oil*, Mentha Arvensis*, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Peppermint Oil*, Citric Acid, Tocopherol

Lastly I am a certified makeup brush hoarder!   I admit this and I’m proud of it… in my opinion the art of applying makeup is best displayed with the right brush…  I have experimented with just about every known brush there is, and I have come to the conclusion that one must invest in quality brushes…   I am obsessed with MAC brushes but my pockets prefer Sigma brushes…  I have a serious collection that includes several favorites from MAC, Sigma and a few places that aren’t worth mentioning.   Because I treasure my brushes I feel the need to store them in a convenient and accessible way… this brings me to my ‘vases’…

I found these at Marshalls and for $6.00 a piece I walked away with 3 of them… each vase housing brushes for every area of my face (eyes, foundation/concealer, and powder).    I add sand to the bottom of the vases and that allows the brushes to stand up…  lastly to protect the brushes from the elements you can’t beat coastal scents ‘brush guards’…  the guards serve several  purposes, they aid in drying the brushes after cleaning, they help to maintain the shape of the brushes, and as mentioned that help to protect the brushes from the elements.   

So there you go, a few of my favorite things…  

Brush Obsessed...

I found myself strolling the cosmetics aisle at Target over the holidays and I came face to face with e.l.f.’s “C” Brush (A flat, dense eyeshadow brush perfect for applying shadow to the lid)…  Now before I go into my fascination with the “C” Brush let me tell you about my experience with e.l.f brushes.   When I was on my back recovering from foot surgery I just had to get a few brushes from e.l.f. I figured they were cheap as hell, so why not give them a try?  Well, first and foremost you know how the saying goes, “you get what you pay for” and I paid all of $1.00 or $2.00 for the brushes and they were some crap.  2 of the 3 were broken (not a good look e.l.f.)!  So I was turned off by my first experience with e.l.f. and then came the stroll down Target’s cosmetic aisle and I don’t know what drew me to the e.l.f section but it was as if the makeup gods shined there light on the “C” brush, and I got this tingly feeling in my eyeballs and fingertips, and the next thing I know I’m whipping out the visa bankcard… what can I say, I HAD TO HAVE IT!  Lol

 

So I get it home and I start playing with the brush with my finger tips…  OMG, it’s so soft, so fluffy, so inviting…   I bathed her, cuz she was funky, and once she dried (it took forever), I broke her in and boy was I happy with the results…  The “C” Brush makes for one helluva smokey eye, now I’m one of these chicks that prefers a natural bristle brush, I mean really, what in the hell is “Taklon”?  lol but I must admit  I was hooked…  the “C” Brush has my FULL attention.

(My glitterific "C" Brush)

I figured that the “C” Brush was so awesome that the other brushes in e.l.f.’s Studio line must be awesome too… so I carry my happy tail to the e.l.f. website and I find myself perusing the Studio brush line and we all know what happened next! I ordered a few (no control AT ALL… this makeup thang got a sista in full OCD mode), not only did I order a few but I ordered the complete set…  I figured at 50% off it was  a cheap purchase…  so I got 11 Studio brushes for $15.00 now out of the 11 brushes only a few gave me that tingly feeling, but who cares I’m a self confessed makeup brush hoarder -  looking for brushes that work for me!

 (The complete "Studio" Brush set...  did I mention that the handles are "glitterific?  [I made that up])

A detailed review of ALL the brushes is on its way to computer near you…

 (The 3 I'm dying to experience one of them being another "C" Brush!  lol We have the "Contour" brush for detail work, the "Powder"  brush which will become my foundation brush and if I LIKE it, I'll purchase a better quality one from MAC.)

But before I go, have I mentioned that I have a ton of MAC brushes that I dug up and the brushes are in excellent condition?  Why I feel the need to purchase more brushes is beyond me!  lol